Trenton man pleads guilty to murdering laundromat worker

TRENTON – A South Trenton man pleaded guilty this morning to murdering a laundromat employee in West Trenton nearly two years ago.

Thomas Hawkins, 20, admitted responsibility for the shooting death of Ambreesh Patel in the James Laundromat on Parkside Avenue in September 2010.

Hawkins agreed to a plea deal this morning before Judge Thomas Brown. Hawkins pleaded guilty to felony murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Assistant prosecutor Lew Korngut suggested to the court that Hawkins receive a sentence of 30 years behind bars, with no early release, and 30 years of parole after his release.

Hawkins is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 15.

The victim, Patel, was a 33-year-old Kenyan immigrant who lived in East Windsor, cleaned the laundromat and fixed computers for neighborhood residents.

Patel was in the business with several customers just before noon when Hawkins, wearing a T-shirt obscuring his face, walked in and demanded money, according to police. Patel said he had no money and Hawkins fired one shot from a .38-caliber handgun, fatally wounding Patel.

Hawkins said he chose to rob Patel because he had seen him the day before the shooting with a wad of cash in his hand, police said. Hawkins also said he owed a $10,000 drug debt, according to police.